Waking up after Sleeping for 24,000 years – Part 1

When I was kid, I knew the word of “hibernation” refer to “sleep” during cold (winter) season.

Fig 01- Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Bdelloid rotifer

(credit to Steve Gschmeissner).

On that time, I just knew a bear as a perfect example of animal to do hibernation in short times, not years.

Actually, many other animals do hibernate in addition to bear, just few of them are:

- ground squirrels

- bats

- snakes

- turtles

Fig 02- Snake come to our neighbor home

Fig 03- Squirrel at backyard. Ground squirrel may hibernate.

In fact, due to many factors such as sudden changes in temperature and less food sources, animal (physiological) reacts by: lower heart rate, set down body temperature and relax metabolism

Recently, scientists found a bdelloid rotifer which had been slept for 24,000 (twenty thousand) years in Arctic, Russia. Very long sleep.

This multicellular organism (very small size, can’t be seen by naked eyes). The size is about 500 micron (0.5 mm).

What is surprising?

# To be continued to Part 2

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A Fox on the Box of Neighborhood – Critter 15

We know that foxes have our neighborhood as one of their habitats. Few years ago, they have been seen very rarely at our areas.

Fig 01- A fox sitting on the box

However, many neighbors have seen foxes wandering around, even with their babies sometimes.

I myself saw this critter running about the bushes, then he stopped, looked at me, and let me gush over how beautiful she is. Then she prissed off with that little bushy tail straight up in the air.

A neighbor saw a fox runs with a breakfast squirrel in her mouth one early morning recently. Another neighbor saw a rodent in its mouth other days.

Fig 02- Just a corner of our city

Fig 03- A fox on side street

Interesting to find out what are foxes (urban foxes) diets?

Based on internet search, since they eat “almost everything,” urban foxes are omnivorous. Some of their foods are:

- fruits

- hunting frogs, rabbits, rodents

- eating birds

- consume earthworms

At our neighborhood, foxes are found to scavenge for foods in trash can.

Have you seen foxes in nature?

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- Are Micro plastics in the Tea Bags Dangerous for Our Health? | Tanza

Peanuts in the Farmer Market – Part 2 - Food Variety 20

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Peanuts in the Farmer Market – Part 1 – Food Variety 20 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Boiled peanuts, ready to consume

Our state just have 500 peanut acreages, hence, production so limited. We bought or “imported” peanuts from States such as:

- Georgia

- Florida

- Alabama

- Texas

- North Carolina

- Mississippi

- Oklahoma

Fig 02- Gas station, RaceTrac

Fig 03- Raw peanuts in the market

Some of my neighbors grow peanuts in their backyard during summer, just for fun or for their kids holiday “science” project.

They planted about 1 to 3 short rows of peanuts. Look like the plants are easy to grow. What we need:

- peanut seeds (green peanuts in the shell).

- fertilizers (organic fertilizers)

- plant the seed about 1 inch deep, and 4 inches apart.

In good condition, from seeds to harvest need about 120 days (4 months). Then, peanuts are ready to consume or dry them for consuming later on.

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Blooming of Freesia Flowers – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 25

We love Freesia flowers because of their colors. Attractive colors. Unfortunately, we have red flowers only so far.

Fig 01- Blooming of our red Freesia flowers

Freesia is fragrance flowers, then based on what people said on Flowers's sscent, they are following:

- sweet smelling

- strawberry (strawberry reminiscent)

- summer fruit

- like honey smell

- mild smell of mint

Fig 02- Freesia flowers grow easily

The smell is said different between one to other colors. I believe that red flower similar to lemon fragrance (lemony sweet fragrance).

Fig 03- A cat in the yard, illustration

We don’t know the smell of other colors, but some of our neighbors said that white and yellow Freesia flowers have the strongest fragrance.

Moreover, common colors of Freesia flowers are:

- red

- yellow

- white

- and purple

# To be continued to Part 2

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Drinking Problem in the USA – Sign 18

Americans consume alcohol is about 9.8 liter per adult (average of male and female) per year, rank 45^th in the world, based on report from World Population Review (2022).

Fig 01- Sign to help whoever with drinking problems

Alcohol consumption is considered low compared to these top 6 following countries:

- Latvia, 13.2 liters per adult

- Moldova, 12.9 liters

- Germany, 12.8 liters

- Lithuania, 12.78 liters

- Ireland, 12.75 liters per adult.

- Spain, 12.67 liters per adult allowed to drink alcohol.

Fig 02- A kind of advertisement, Illustration only

Fig 03- Plants sold by community market

But alcohol drinking addictions have great impacts on society and individual levels in the USA.

There are 32 people died on the road every day due to drinking habit while driving. Total died was 11,654 people in 2020.

Then, alcohol addictions lead to many chronic diseases, just few examples are:

- liver disease

- heart disease

- cancer and supra-ventricular cardiac dysrhythmia

How about in your country? Are there serious problems with alcohol addictions?

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Demanding of Tofu was Increasing During Covid 19 Pandemic – Part 1 – Food Variety 21

Americans have known tofu since 1840, they called it as “bean curds” on that time, but not all Americans consume this food.

Fig 01- Raw tofu, ready to cook

Few years ago, we always buy tofu from ethnic groceries such as:

- Korean shop

- Asian market

- Vietnam stores

Luckily, we may find tofu in the Walmart and other big retails across America almost everyday now.

It is because demand for tofu skyrocket recently, especially during Covid 19 pandemic.

Fig 02- Just illustration

First, USA faced shortage of meat at early months of pandemic, then, many Americans try to find alternatives.

Fig 03- Tofu nutrition facts

Two types of tofu are available in the market with different prices. Costs per pound are:

- US$ 1.64 for common tofu

- US$ 2.64 for organic tofu

As reported by mainstream medias like Washington Post (2020) and Bloomberg (2020) that demand for tofu not only increasing, but also even shortage in many places include Seattle and Washington DC.

We may wonder why?

# To be continued to Part 2

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The Orb Weaver Spider in the Yard – Critter 14

We talked about abundance of banana spiders in our neighborhood at previous post: Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- An Orb Weaver Spider

We just found Orb Weaver Spiders at our backyard recently, no, not abundant, a couple of spiders only.

I think that they make very beautiful webs to catch their foods. Strange things of this spider:

- Spider hang on the web with its head downward (please se the above photo)

- Orb Weaver Spider stays in the web during daylight.

- Spiders move their webs every week or so to be in fresh territory.

Are Orb Weaver Spiders poisonous?

Fig 02- The flower at yard, illustration

Fig 03- Another spider web

No, An orb weaver spider is not poisonous. I was bitten by this critter, and I feel just like bee’s sting.

Yes, I got pain, but the effect can be ignored. Sources from internet informed that spider bites might have lower venom.

Main diet of orb weaver spiders are insects, several of them are:

- mosquitoes

- bees

- wasps

- flies and small moths

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